Morning Reading List: August Odds and Ends

Not too much happening on this ridiculously hot summer morning, but here are a few items that may be of interest:

Based on current projections, NHL players will earn only 85-87 percent of their contracts because of escrow. From the Boston Globe:

For example, Alex Ovechkin, due $9 million in 2008-09, would take home $7.65 million in pre-tax earnings. For 2009-10, escrow could become even more significant to make up for any revenue shortfalls. The 2009-10 figure hasn't been set yet, but some agents are informing their clients that 20 percent of their salaries could be tucked away via escrow.

"You always err on the side of caution,'' said Andrew Ference, the Bruins' player representative. "You always take more than you think. It would be an absolute nightmare if there was a shortfall. Try tracking down money from 700 guys who live in every corner of the planet. If there's a guy in Russia who owes an extra thousand bucks, you think you'll ever see that check? You always have to take more.''

* Plus, some extra Caps notes from the Globe's NHL notebook:

With an arbitrator awarding old friend Milan Jurcina a one-year, $1.375 million contract, Washington might have enough depth on defense to move a body, especially with Karl Alzner, the fifth overall pick in 2007, deserving of a full-time promotion. At a tick under $2 million this season before he hits unrestricted free agency, former Bruin Shaone Morrisonn (3-10 -13, 17:59 average ice time in 72 games last season) could draw interest around the league as a second- or third-pairing D.

The man who had enjoyed one of the greatest seasons in the history of the American Hockey League - a franchise-record 60 goals, just the fifth 60-goal season in league history; a league-record 15-game goal-scoring streak; the league MVP trophy; 15 playoff goals and a league-record 75 goals combined, plus a Calder Cup championship - was back in the fold. The Bears, it seems, are poised for another run at the Calder Cup.

Except there's still a question waiting to be answered. Will Giroux be back in Hershey this season?

Giroux, like every other hockey player in the AHL, wants to play in the NHL, and the contract he signed, a two-way contract with the Washington Capitals and Hershey Bears, gives him that opportunity. At least on paper.

Giroux could actually replace Flash, they are similar type players, if the club feels Giroux could provide equal/better results.

Anyone who thinks Wash is ridiculously hot should check with Capt Kirk in AZ and ask about Phoenix. Or ask about here in Orlando.

If I'm not mistaken, the article on the escrow is misleading. The players don't "lose" this money. They are entitled to a certain percentage of the revenue, and depending how the revenue shakes out for the year, they get all or part of it back or could even be given all plus some extra. So the NHL will need to track down that player in Russia and get him his cash.

seeing that the players will only take home 85% of their contracts, i now understand why kane was so concerned about the extra $1.20. something tells me if he tried that in a chicago cab, he'd be the one claiming assault....

I'm going to wait for more details on this Kane issue before passing judgement. My college student son who makes a few hundred a month while working during the summer would part with $1.20 without blinking an eye. I would think $1.20 would be a joke to Kane too. I'm more willing to believe some cabby realized Kane was in his cab and wants to see what he can get from a civil case by making up some BS and expecting to settle out of court whether it's true or not to get rid of the distraction.

Not surprised to read about Kane doing something like this. Out in Vegas at the NHL Awards weekend, he was a drunk idiot. Most of the players at the event, including his own teammate VerSteeg were trying to avoid him. He was stumbling around and speaking incoherently. He's 20 years old, a drunken idiot, and thinks he can get away with anything.

@jobrie18: In my opinion Giroux wasn't all that much of a liability on defense. He even read the play very well, his biggest knock is he just could not finish. He was on 2 or 3 breakaways and couldn't bury it. To use a hockey joke, he has plenty of Swedish but no Finish.

As a 20yr old (long long ago)in this town, I was on more than occasion intoxicated and in a cab going somewhere. I always tipped then as now approx. 20%. $1.20 would have been an undertip. It sounds as if Kane has a drinking problem.

I'm a little embarrassed for Mr. Kane. I concur that he was pretty wasted to be complaining about $1.20 in change, which he probably couldn't figure out wasn't a very big deal. Last I checked too, cabbies don't carry much change, if at all. Oh, and tipping the cabby is sorta' a given. Sheesh.

We had canceled our season tickets due to financial difficulty after being season ticket holders the past two years. They were canceled for a couple of months. Well, things turned around for us and we just called to try to get our season tickets back and were rejected. That is truly awful and nonsensical to me. So, we feel a bit betrayed by our Caps at the moment. For 400 something dollars we can get put on a waiting list. I don't plan on dealing with uncertainty though, so we will be watching hockey on TV. It is sad when you call and say I want a ticket to every game and get told no.

So, none of you better sell or cancel your tickets without calling us first. I guess that's progress.

are you kidding me? You knew that the caps had become a hot ticket before you gave them up...and you willingly gave them up. Do you think any organization will wait for you to change your mind before they sell them to someone who wants the tix?

am I missing something here? if so, apologies all around but come on....

lorne,
sorry to hear that you lost your tix, but really, did you expect the caps to sit by the phone waiting for your call? did you expect them not to sell them to someone else and say "sorry, i know lorne will be back..." why in the world would you think you are somehow being betrayed by the team. kind of like dumping your girlfriend and then getting po'd when you call her up for a date six months later and find out she started dating someone else.

you should send ted an email and complain. i'm sure he'd love to hear from you.

it's actually not sad to hear that the team cant sell you full season tix. sounds like good news to me.

lorne,
sorry to hear that you lost your tix, but really, did you expect the caps to sit by the phone waiting for your call? did you expect them not to sell them to someone else and say "sorry, i know lorne will be back..." why in the world would you think you are somehow being betrayed by the team. kind of like dumping your girlfriend and then getting po'd when you call her up for a date six months later and find out she started dating someone else.

you should send ted an email and complain. i'm sure he'd love to hear from you.

it's actually not sad to hear that the team cant sell you full season tix. sounds like good news to me.

I gave up my season tickets because with my medical bills and the economy being what it is, things got bad financially quick. I've got my health back and we've bounced back financially.

I knew they were a hot ticket. I didn't know if we could afford them. I can say that I did not expect a negative response here. I understand the business side of it of course and I reserve my right to feel however I feel about it. We are fans derived from fanatic. Being rational does not apply.

At the time, not making the payments on season tickets was the right thing to do because of my health and finances. Now that I am healthy again though, I find myself a former season ticket holder.

Well, plenty of appropriate response there. Giving them up was a mistake and now the remorse sets in. At least the financial difficulty that beset you was lifted. There is something good in that. Maybe you can get a better TV to watch the games on now.

I toyed with the possibility that I may have to give up my seats... for about two seconds.... then I slapped myself.

I can see how having to be put in the waiting list sucks.. and by no fault of yours did you have to cancel. But can you really be upset with the Caps for selling them?

However, on the bright side, maybe watching on TV for a year, and being in the list is just what you need in these times of economic uncertainty that would cause you to cancel in the first place. Maybe it's a blessing.

Good idea on the better TV. I can call it "savings" since it would be significantly less money than we had renewed for the whole season. That's a good irrational silver lining and I'm going to take it and run with it.

We really do need more Caps news. Lorne definitely payed the price for being the target on a slow news day. The Caps did mention that tickets will be hard to come by, even once the remaining tickets finally get released for purchase. It is great to see that the Caps are a sold out show.

Only 42 days until the 1st home game of the preseason game vs the Sabres.

Only 52 days until the 1st regular season game in Boston.

Only 54 days until the 1st regular season home game against the Maple Leafs.

Some of you jumped the gun a bit with regards to Lorne. I remember a few months back him mentioning the medical issues. I also understand that fans can't expect them to hold the seats. Lorne, you might contact your old rep or the supervisor and explain the situation and maybe they can do something, if even only a partial plan. Tell them you will forward copies of medical bills as proof. Good luck.

Lorne, if you breakup with your boyfriend (or girlfriend) do you get upset when you go back a few months later to get back together to find they are dating someone else? It really sucks you had to give up tix, but spend that money on a sweet 50-70 something HD TV and feel like you're there with no traffic ... or a pick-em plan

I'm a guy flee001, so no boyfriend. Not that I judge guys that have boyfriends. It is just not for me.

Tominfl1 is now officially my favorite blogger. I appreciate you remembering what my wife and I went though last season. The Capitals community really stands out for its own. Even though we won't be at all the games, we will still feel connected.

There are no pick 'em plans or any of that sort of thing left. I'm at peace with it.

I was ticked off this morning, but heck who couldn't benefit from not spending so much money? We'll get the games on TV (hopefully a new one), as well as use some of the savings to travel and perhaps catch a Capitals game in Buffalo and Toronto.

We are trying to get the home opener and I am hoping to get a group of 15 or more people to go to one of the Islanders at Capitals games.I know it makes for an odd Capitals fan, but I grew up on Long Island. I still wear the red to the game. Perhaps make the drive to Carolina too.

It will work out. I do wish that our former ticket rep was more willing to work with us, but I'm moving on. It's business.

Sorry to hear about your season tickets, Lorne. For the record, "it's better to have had season tickets and lost them, than to have never had season tickets". =) I'm in LA. Being a season ticket holder for the Capitals while living on the left coast would be even more ridonkulous than you making the sacrifice that you did.

Silver lining, my friend, silver lining. I think there's something to watching a game in the comforts of your own home and not paying for an overpriced beer or bottle of water and not having to wait in line to pee. That'd beat the overpriced tickets I gotta' buy online to see a game any day. =)

Btw, has anyone started up a collection for Patrick Kane and his cousin's $1.20 yet? I just wanted to know where I can mail my two pennies to. =P Times are definitely rough, I would imagine....

Lorne: If you want to come down to Florida and do a Tampa and/or Panthers thing, let me know. Hopefully my daughter will be well enough I can do two tickets. I don't have schedule to see if they are doing both teams back-to-back, but it is a very pleasant three hour drive from one to the other. And you can go through the Everglades if you want.

the thing with this kane issue is that people don't know whether the cabby did things like a) not turn on the meter b) drive extra far in order to run up the bill c) quote an estimate that was way up then have the actual cost for the drive be much higher d) deliberately not carry change so he can always get the extra from a 20 as a tip (e.g. $5 when the bill is $15) e) have a madly messy/ stinky cab f) mishandle the luggage or something else that would make people be ticked off about leaving a tip. it's one thing if kane is cheap. it's another thing if he was being deliberate about not giving a tip in this specific incident.

@lorne, what I would do is email Ted and suggest they paint a ring of yellow seats around the arena, maybe 5 or 10 rows all the way around. Seats should open up in no time. I know it worked at FedEx. You'll have your seats back in no time.

lorne, I think what is drawing all the response is your statement "So, we feel a bit betrayed by our Caps at the moment." It is just silly, as pointed out by many. Also,"It is sad when you call and say I want a ticket to every game and get told no.". It is a self-inflicted wound. On a broader issue I am very glad that the capitals are putting a great product on the ice and getting rewarded for it. In Washington DC!! Is this a great country or what? (Line from "Night Shift")